May 2013

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Message from the Director

When did we become public enemy number one? Since when are law enforcement officers fred responsible for the economic ills that have befallen our State and local communities? Someone please tell me.

This current State legislature has continually attacked our health care benefits, pensions and restricted our right to collect retroactivity. What is more shocking to me is the vote on all of these issues are along party lines with the Republicans voting for this legislation with the Democrats voting against. Many of our members are Republicans and have supported GOP candidates in the past. Is this our thanks?

Battle of the Badges!

March 26th

The Detroit Pistons are hosting the first "Battle of the Badges" Event here at The Palace on Tuesday, March 26th! Before the Detroit Pistons game vs. Minnesota Timberwolves @ 7:30 PM, police and fire departments will be competing in an All-Star basketball tournament and Tug of War to try and win the championship trophies! Non-participants of the police and fire departments throughout Michigan, family, and friends are encouraged to come out and support the events and then enjoy the Pistons game following. Everyone will get a chance to take a shot on the Pistons court after the game as well!

The Labor Studies Center is hosting a

"Police, Fire, EMT Jobs and Policy Conference"

Wednesday, April 24, 2013

Time: 9:00 am - 4:00 pm

Participants must RSVP by April 12, 2013 to Ms. Erica Johnson at 313-577-2191 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Please see the flyer for more information.

Thank you.

Labor Studies Center, Wayne State University, 656 W. Kirby, 3178 FAB Detroit, MI 48202 (313) 577-2191.

January 24, 2013

2013-14 HOUSE COMMITTEES

Standing Committees

Agriculture
Reps. Kevin Daley, R-Lum (C); Cindy Denby, R-Handy Twp. (VC); Ben Glardon, R-Owosso; Joel Johnson, R-Clare; Andrea LaFontaine, R-Columbus Twp.; Ed McBroom, R-Vulcan; Rick Outman, R-Six Lakes; Bruce Rendon, R-Lake City; Roger Victory, R-Hudsonville; Dan Lauwers, R-Brockway; Dave Pagel, R-Oronoko Twp., Charles Brunner, D-Bay City (Minority VC); Charles Smiley, D-Burton; Marcia Hovey- Wright, D-Muskegon; Jim Ananich, D-Flint; Bill LaVoy, D-Monroe, Doug Geiss, D- Taylor

Appropriations
Reps. Joe Haveman, R-Holland (C), AI Pscholka, R-Stevensville (VC); Eileen Kowall, R-White Lake; Matt Lori, R-Constantine; Bill Rogers, R-Brighton; John Walsh, R-Livonia; Jon Bumstead, R-Newaygo; Anthony Forlini, R-Harrison Twp.; Peter MacGregor, R-Rockford; Greg MacMaster, R-Kewadin; Nancy Jenkins, R-Clayton; Paul Muxlow, R-Brown City; Earl Poleski, R-Jackson; Phil Potvin, R-Cadillac; Mike McCready, R-Bloomfield Hills; Martin Howrylak, R-Troy; Rob VerHeulen, R-Walker; Rashida Tlaib, Detroit (MVC); Terry Brown, D-Pigeon; Fred Durhal Jr., D-Detroit; Sean McCann, D-Kalamazoo; Brandon Dillon, D-Grand Rapids; Sarah Roberts, D-St. Clair Shores; Andrew Kandrevas, D-Southgate; Pam Faris, D-Clio; Adam Zemke, D-Ann Arbor; Sam Singh, D-East Lansing

Commerce
Reps. Frank Foster, R-Pellston (C); Dale Zorn, Ida (VC); Gail Haines, R-Waterford; Wayne Schmidt; R-Traverse City; Jeff Farrington, R-Utica; Ben Glardon, R-Owosso; Joel Johnson, R-Clare; Aric Nesbitt, RLawton; Pat Somerville, R-New Boston; Rick Outman, R-Six Lakes; Tim Kelly, R-Saginaw; Tom Leonard, R-Dewitt Twp.; Jon Switalski, D-Warren (MVC); Vicki Barnett, D-Farmington Hills; Jim Townsend, D-Royal Oak; Harvey Santana, D-Detroit; Stacey Erwin Oakes, D-Saginaw; Gretchen Driskell, D-Saline; Henry Yanez, D-Sterling Heights

Criminal Justice (new this year)
Reps. Kurt Heise, R-Plymouth (C); Joe Graves, R-Argentine Twp. (VC); Ken Kurtz, R-Coldwater; Mike Callton, R-Nashville; Ed McBroom; Margaret O'Brien, R-Portage; Klint Kesto, R-Commerce Twp.; Oakes (MVC); Rose Mary Robinson, D-Detroit; John Olumba, D-Detroit; John Kivela, D-Marquette

Education
Reps. Lisa Lyons, R-AIto (C), Ray Franz, R-Onekama (VC); Hugh Crawford, R-Novi; Daley; Bob Genetski, R-Saugatuck; Pete Lund, R-Shelby Twp.; Tom McMillin; R-Rochester Hills; Tom Hooker, R-Byron Center; Brad Jacobsen, R-Oxford; Amanda Price, R-Park Twp.; Ken Yonker, R-Caledonia; Ellen Cogen Lipton, D-Huntington Woods (MVC); David Knezek Jr., D-Dearborn Heights; Winnie Brinks, DGrand Rapids; Thomas Stallworth III, D-Detroit; Colleen Lamonte, D-Montague; Theresa Abed, D-Grand Ledge

Elections and Ethics
Reps. Lyons (C), Kevin Cotter R-Mt. Pleasant (VC); Heise; Callton; Outman; Ken Yonker, R-Caledonia; Harold Haugh, D-Roseville (MVC); Marilyn Lane, D-Fraser; Andy Schor, D-Lansing

Energy and Technology
Reps. Nesbitt (C), Mike Shirkey, R-Clarklake (VC); Farrington; Franz; Jacobsen; Outman; Peter Pettalia, R-Presque Isle; Price; Schmidt; Zorn; Graves; Lauwers; Stallworth (MVC); Rudy Hobbs, D-Southfield; David Nathan, D-Detroit; LaVoy; Lane; Brunner; Yanez; Lamonte Families, Children, and Seniors Reps. Kurtz(C), Hooker (VC), Denby, Outman; Kesto; Victory; Hovey-Wright(MVC), Diane Slavens, DCanton; Robert Kosowski, D- Westland

Financial Liability Reform (new this year)
Reps. Poleski (C); Victory (VC); Denby; McMillin; Schmidt; Shirkey; Callton; Cavanagh (MVC); Alberta Tinsley-Talabi, D-Detroit; JeffIrwin, D-Ann Arbor; Robinson

Financial Services
Reps. Callton (C), Somerville (VC), Farrington; Lyons; Pettalia; Kelly; Johnson; Nathan (MVC); Woodrow Stanley, D-Flint; Lane; Lamonte; Oaks

Government Operations
Reps. Lund (C); Jacobsen (VC); Shirkey; Hobbs (MVC); Tim Greimel, D-Auburn Hills Health Policy Reps. Haines (C); Callton (VC); Crawford; Genetski; Shirkey; Foster; Hooker; Yonker; Zorn; Graves; Kesto; George Darany, D-Dearborn (MVC); Knezek; Ananich; Kate Segal, D-Battle Creek; Stallworth; Brinks

Insurance
Reps. Lund (C); Leonard (VC); Denby; Cotter; Glardon; Ken Goike, R-Ray; LaFontaine; Lyons; Nesbitt; O'Brien; Segal (MVC); Lipton; Abed; Tom Cochran D-Mason ; Olumba

Judiciary
Reps. Cotter (C); Kesto (VC), Heise; Price; Jacobsen; Johnson; Leonard; Lipton (MVC); Irwin; Oakes; Kosowski

Local Government
Reps. Price (C); Pagel (VC); Daley; Franz; Pettalia; Somerville; Rendon; Graves; Rutledge (MVC); Stanley; Banks; Talabi

Michigan Competitiveness (new this year)
Reps. Shirkey (C); Yonker (VC); Haines; Cotter; Foster; Franz; Goike; Lauwers; Leonard; Pagel; Paul Clemente, D-Lincoln Park (MVC); Townsend; Schor; Santana; Segal

Military and Veterans Affairs
Reps. Stamas, R-Midland (C); Franz (VC); Haines; Kurtz; Hooker; Zorn; Graves; Santana (MVC); Darany; Slavens; Banks; Yanez; Cavanagh

Natural Resources
Reps. LaFontaine (C); Rendon (VC); Goike; Johnson; McBroom; Victory; Smiley (MVC); Scott Dianda, D-Calumet; Kivela

Oversight
Reps. McMillin (C); Kelly (VC); O'Brien; Leonard; Olumba (MVC); Robinson

Regulatory Reform
Reps. Crawford (C); McBroom (VC); Denby; McMillin; LaFontaine; Rendon; Yonker; Kelly; Kesto; Haugh (MVC); Abed; Stanley; Dianda; Nathan; Schor

Tax Policy
Reps. Farrington (C); O'Brien (VC); Genetski; Lund; Cotter; Foster; Lyons; Nesbitt; Somerville; Kelly; Barnett (MVC); Switalski; Haugh; LaVoy; Townsend

Tourism (new this year)
Reps. Pettalia (C); Goike (VC); Crawford; Genetski; Rendon; Pagel; Kosowski (MVC); Brunner; Kivela

Transportation & Infrastructure
Reps. Schmidt (C); Glardon (VC); Daley; Heise; Jacobsen; O'Brien; Pettalia; Lauwers; McCready; Lane (MVC); Dianda; Rutledge; Driskell; Cochran; Smiley

Statutory Standing Committees:
oint Committee on Administrative Rules: Reps. McMillin (C); Stamas (VC); Price; Santana (MVC); Geiss

House Fiscal Agency Governing Committee: Reps. Haveman (C); Bolger (VC); Stamas Tlaib (MVC); Greimel;

Hobbs Legislative Council: Reps. Bolger (C); Walsh (VC); Stamas; Lyons; Lipton (MVC); Oakes

Michigan Capitol Committee: Reps. Schmidt (C); Stamas (VC); McCready; McCann (MVC)

Appropriations Subcommittees:

Agriculture and Rural Development: Reps. Potvin (C), Jenkins (VC), Bumstead, Brown (MVC)

Joint Capital Outlay Reps. Kowall (C), Muxlow (VC), Potvin, Forlini, Howrylak, Zemke (MVC), Durhal

Community Colleges: Reps. Muxlow (C), MacMaster (VC), Forlini, Zemke (MVC), Faris

Corrections: Reps. MacMaster (C), Poleski (VC), Lori, Rogers, Haveman, Kandrevas (MVC), Durhal

Department of Community Health: Reps. Lori (C), VerHeulen (VC), Muxlow, MacGregor, Tlaib (MVC), Dillon

Department of Environmental Quality: Reps. Kowall (C), Forlini (VC), Bumstead, Roberts (MVC)

Department of Human Services: Reps. MacGregor (C), McCready (VC), Pscholka, Muxlow, Tlaib (MVC), Kandrevas

Department of Natural Resources: Reps. Bumstead (C), McCready (VC), Jenkins, Brown (MVC)

Department of Education: Reps. Rogers (C), Howrylak (VC), Lori, Potvin, Singh (MVC), Zemke

Fiscal Oversight: Reps. Howrylak (C), Haveman (VC), Kandrevas (MVC)

General Government: Reps. Poleski (C), Kowall (VC), Rogers, Forlini, Durhal (MVC), Singh

Higher Education: Reps. Pscholka (C), Walsh (VC), MacGregor, VerHeulen, Singh (MVC), McCann, Kandrevas

Judiciary: Reps. Walsh (C), VerHeulen (VC), Howrylak, Faris (MVC)

Licensing and Regulatory Affairs: Reps. Forlini (C), Pscholka (VC), Bumstead, Kowall, Faris (MVC), Roberts

Military and Veterans Mfairs: Reps. Jenkins (C), MacGregor (VC), MacMaster, Roberts (MVC)

Michigan State Police: Reps. McCready (C), Jenkins (VC), MacMaster, McCann (MVC)

School Aid: Reps. Rogers (C), Potvin (VC), Lori, Howrylak, Dillon (MVC), Brown

Supplementals: Reps. Haveman (C), Pscholka (VC), McCann (MVC)

Transportation: Reps. VerHeulen (C), Muxlow (VC), Pscholka, Poleski, Kandrevas (MVC)

BLUE by Jesilyn Holdridge

MAPE President Rusty Holdridge has a lot to be proud of. His 17-year-old daughter, Jesilyn, recently had her book entitled “Blue” published, and it is now being carried by Barnes & Noble Bookstores.

Jesilyn Holdridge is a junior at Columbia Central High School in Brooklyn Michigan, where her favorite subject is, not surprisingly, English. Jesilyn wrote the book “Blue” during the summer between her eighth and ninth grades. She attributes the drive it took to her English teacher, Miss Schmidt, at Columbia Central Middle School, who helped show her the wonders of writing and is described as being ecstatic. It is a book targeted for teenage girls and young adults, and according to Jesilyn, the message for the reader is that when one is faced with challenges as you mature, things will get better.

Jesilyn’s mom helped her edit the book and presented it to different publishers over a period of two years. Tate Publishing received the manuscript and accepted it for publication within three days of their submittal. Jesilyn currently has other works in progress, which are targeted for a similar audience.

Jesilyn carries a 3.5 GPA and plays trombone in both the marching band and concert band at Columbia Central HS. She will be graduating in 2014, and plans to attend Evangel University in Springfield Missouri, majoring in Computer Information Technology and, of course, Writing. Who would expect anything else?

Jesilyn will be having a book-signing event at the Barnes & Noble Bookstore located in Brighton on Saturday February 23rd from 1:00pm – 3:00pm. Copies will be available for purchase on site, as well as www.amazon.com and at www.tatepublishing.com . We encourage all of our members at MAPE, MAFF, and MAP, to consider purchasing a copy for their daughters, nieces, and granddaughters. Jesilyn adds, “Boys can read it too”. We encourage all members of MAPE, MAP, and MAFF to stop by the book signing. You will be able to meet Jesilyn’s dad, who is also the local President for the City of Jackson MAPE. Remember Jesilyn’s name. You will be hearing a lot about her in the future.

In the immediate aftermath of the tragedy known as 9-11, the Lighthouse Uniform Company received a phone call from Lt. Jerry Hughes from the Chicago Fire Department. He knew about us from our Fallen Fire Fighter Dress Uniform Program.

Lt. Hughes suggested we make an attempt at getting America’s Fire Service to adopt the NYFD Bell Cap as a statement of solidarity with those Firefighters lost.

The idea was explored, but in the end proved too daunting a task. It did, however, lead to the creation of the 9-11 Commemorative Chin Strap™.

Not wanting to capitalize on the moment, the Lighthouse did not market the straps and made them available to only a select group of Honor Guards. Without a public presence, the Chin Strap soon fell out of sight.

Now, almost ten years has gone by since 9-11 and there is a generation of firefighters coming up that do not relate to 9-11 like it happened to them. It is turning into a history lesson right before our eyes and the decision was made to reinvigorate the 9-11 Commemorative Chin Strap Program and use it as a bridge, to create a connection and ‘make sure the past stays part of the present’.

Karoub Associates - Legislative Updates

Governor Rick Snyder delivered his 3rd State of the State address last night and outlined a series of proposals during a 55 minute speech that will shape the agenda of the 97th Legislature over the next two years. The Governor highlighted a number of positive economic indicators in Michigan since he took office in 2009, including increases in per capita income, home sales, private payroll growth, and the first year of state population growth since 2004.

The highlight of the Governor's speech was his desire to work with the Legislature to increase transportation funding, arguing that investing in infrastructure now will save money in the future. While he did not outline a specific legislative proposal in the speech, he has suggested that Michigan needs an additional $1.2 billion per year to meet transportation infrastructure needs that could be met with a "user fee" approach based on three revenue sources:

A shift from the current 19 cents per-gallon gas tax to a tax at the wholesale level that would fluctuate at the pump to provide more revenue when prices increase,
An increase in vehicle registration fees for light cars and trucks, and
An optional local or regional registration fee to provide revenue that would remain with local units of government

The Governor has estimated the total cost of this proposal would come to about $120 per car, but would provide savings for drivers from reduced damage to vehicles from poor roads. He has also indicated a desire to revise the existing transportation funding distribution formula.

Gathering political support for a gas tax or registration fee increase will be challenging for the Governor despite Republican control of both chambers of the Legislature, as Republicans are usually hesitant to vote for a tax increase and Democrats are not in a willing mood to offer him any support given their lingering anger over his signature of legislation making Michigan a Right-to-Work state in December. As Republicans hold a 59-51 majority in the House, they can only afford "no" votes from 3 of their members if Democrats refuse to provide any votes for a gas tax or any other legislative issues. The gas tax has not been raised in Michigan since 1997.

Additional noteworthy proposals outlined by the Governor last night include:

Reforming Michigan's no-fault auto insurance system, an initiative that stalled in the last session of the Legislature,
Creating via Executive Order a Michigan Department of Insurance and Financial Services to assume oversight of industries currently regulated by the Office of Financial and Insurance Regulation in the Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs,
Creating an Insurance Fraud Prevention Authority, funded by a $2 per vehicle assessment on insurance companies,
Increased efforts to combat the theft and resale of metals,
Pursuing a "next generation" 911 system,
Enacting into statute the Education Achievement Authority, a currently existing state & local partnership that was established to reform failing and low performing schools,
Calling upon the Legislature to pass legislation preventing property owners who do not pay taxes or abandon properties from buying additional property to address blight,
Establishing Michigan as a leader in autonomous vehicle testing, and
Modernization of the regulatory environment in Michigan's health insurance marketplace, specifically reforms to Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Michigan that the Governor vetoed last session due to last minute inclusion of language requiring an optional rider on health insurance policies for abortion coverage.

The Governor also provided a "road map" of upcoming policy focuses in the coming year including his budget presentation on February 7, an economic development summit in March, an education summit in April to explore school safety and mental health issues, an evaluation of state land management in May, a summit of Great Lakes Governors in June to coordinate regional economic development and natural resource protections, and an evaluation of pending reports on Michigan's energy policies due in December. The next two years should prove interesting given that the Governor will be up for re-election 22 months from now and has thus far found success with nearly every proposal he has laid before the Legislature in his past two State of the State addresses.

The Legislature returns to regular session next week on Tuesday, January 22.

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